Agitator for game elements



Dec. 2l, 1931. c. F. KLEIN,

AGITATOR FOR GAME ELEMENTS Filed Feb. l1, 1937 Patented Dec. 2l, 1937 UNITED STATES l'"AT'EISII'` OFFICE l Y Y 2,103,009 l AGITA'roa For; GAME ntivirmiv'rsr Charles F. Klein, Baltimore, Y Md.` I kApplication February 11, 1937, Serial No. 125.17318 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to games and the like, and hasmore particular reference to an agi.- tator for game element or the like adapted to be used in connection with the playing of a game.

An object of the present invention is to provide an agitator which holds a game element in full View at all times of the players and which will efliciently roll or turn over the gameelef mentin different directions so that there is an equal chance of any of thefaces of the game element to be exposed uppermost upon the .operation .of the agitator, and to provide an agitator which is of lthe spinning type but which also is so constructed and supported that it may move, iiex 4or vibrate universallyat practically all di.- rections so that it is practically impossible for a player to control the tumbling of the gameelement in the agitator.

, Another .object Yof the invention is to provide a simplified construction whichmay bev economically 4manufactured and sold, whichisirelatively small and `compact so that it may be transported and 'packed either separately yor as apart .of a game board Yor the like, and a device which can-,- not easily get out Lof order. :Withthe foregoing and other objects in View, the invention lwill be more fully described herein,- after, and will be more particularly pointed Vout in the .claims appended hereto.

In the drawing,A wherein .like symbols referto like ,orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, Y f

Figure 1 is ,a :top plan View of a gameelement agitator constructed according to the present in.- vention.,

Figure 2 is a verticalsection taken .through the same, yonthe line 2-2 of Figure 1.

4Figure 3 is a detail fragmentary enlarged outer face View of one of the yshaft section mountings, the shaft being shown'in section.'

, Figure 4 kis a vertical sectional view taken throughthe shaft Asection mounting, and

y Figure 5 isa detail enlarged `side elevation of a. .game element which may beV used with the agitator. Y Y l Referring now .to the drawing, the agitator comprises a body part I preferably yin the form of .a transparent globe of glass or the likeand in which .is adapted to be placed .a game element II, although a l.plurality of .game elements may -be placed therein if desired.

The globe I0 is preferably open at opposite sides ,and is closed .and supported at each open side by an outer large disc I2 provided with a cushioning flexible disc I3 at its inner side and (ol. 27s- 145) 'Y against which the marginal edge of the globe opening is adapted to seat, and by a small disc I4 which engages againstthe flexible -disc I3 to hold itin place. The `discs I2 and I4 may be of metal while the interposed cushioning disc I3 may be of rubber, felt or the like. This structure prevails ateach side of the globe I0 and the .discs I2 and III are firmly mounted upon alined transverse rods .or shaft sections I5 providing .trun-V nions, so that -by turning the lshaft sections the transparent globe I0 is spun therewith. If desired, a plurality of bails or wires I6 may extend about the sides .of the globe I0 and secured at their ends tothe .outer discs'l2 to serve as a protection `for .thev globe I0 and also to firmly hold the discs or heads against the opposite sides of the globe.

The shaft sections I5 are supported in a fork Il' or the like which has its free ends extending upwardly and laterally ,enlarged to accommodate the shaft sections I5. The lupper ends of the fork I6 vare provided wthpcurved or arcuate slots I'I Whichextend in a general horizontal direction and which are of sufficient width to Yaccommodate grooved -wheels .or pulleys I8 'having a loose fit :between the opposed marginal edges of the slots Huso that the upper ends of the fork hold the pulleys I8 from `.displacement but at the same time `admit of the relatively free turning or rollV ing of the pulleys .on the lower edges of the slots II. The opposite shaft sections I5 extend axially through the pulleys I8 and are mounted in the' pulleys upon ball bearings I9 or the like so that the shaft sections VI5 may turn `easily and freely within the pulleys independently of any rolling action of the pulleys.

The fork I6J is provided at its lower end with adepending stem `to which is secured the upper end of a. supporting spring 2|, and the lower end of the spring l2l is connected to a lower stem or ,stud 22 which carries, in xed relation thereto, a supporting disc 23 which rests upon ball bearings 24 ymounted in `a depressed seat 25 provided in the upper portion ofa supporting base 26. The stud `22 extends' downwardly from its disc 23 through the seat 25 and is loosely secured through the seat by lock nuts 21 or the like. The stud`22 maythus freely rotate .on the base V26, the spring 2| is freeto flex'laterally in all directions and also capable of yertical compressionV and expansion so that the fork I6 is supported yieldingly in upright position and for easy turning upon the basel-2li. I y f The opposite shaft sections I5 are provided with milled thumb pieces 28, or the like, adapted to be grasped, either one or both, for spinning the same and the transparent globe I0. The pressure or operation of spinning not only sets the shaft sections I5 with the globe I0 in operation, but also disturbs, rocks and rotates the fork I6', and also causes the pulleys or wheels I8 to move or roll in the slots I1. The globe I0, therefore, not only spins but moves about a vertical axis and also moves in and out of the vertical axis of the fork and consequently sets up various lateral and turning molvements to the game element Y II which is enclosed within the globe I0.

While any suitable type of game or indicating n element may be used in the hollow body portion Y I, there is shown particularly in Figure 5,-a

game element having a desired number. of flat faces 2S bearing suitable numbers or other'indicia, and which may be 14 in numberv so as to permit the somewhat easily rolling of the game element I I when the body portion I is rotated on either 'a horizontal or vertical axis, or when the hollow body I!) is oscillated upon the spring 2l or upon its bearing rollers or pulleys I8.

In operation, the shaft sections I5 are twirled between the fingers so as to rotate the shaftV sections with the heads and the transparent globe Ill. The globe I0 is thus set in motion, and the pressure exerted upon the shaft sections I5, through the thumb piecesv28, is such as to move the rollers or pulleys I8 in the slots I1 so that the shaft sections are rocked or oscillated back and forth within the limits of the slots II upon the support during the rotation of the globe I0. Also, the side pressure exerted upon the shaft sections I5, in the act of twirling, causes the support I6 to oscillate or swing upon the spring 2l so that the globe, while spinning, is thus subjected to various movements at different angles and planes to one another. The support4 I6"is also turned toI a more or lessv extent upon the base 26 as the disc 23 is freely supported upon the bearings 24. These different movements of the rotating body portion Ill impart various directional impulses to the tumbling game or indicating element I I and consequently the die is turned over upon different sides and is not held toany particular plane of rotation. In this manner the 'game element II is thoroughly agitated and the element of chance of different faces 29 turning up, when the game element finally comes to rest, is enhanced.

This device is adapted to take the place of cups, receptacles or the like in which game elements have to be placed after they have been thrown, and eliminates the tiresome operations of collecting the game elements and placing them in the cup for each successive throw.

As the lower walls or edges of the slots I'I are curved upwardly toward the ends of the slots, the pulleys or rollers I8 gradually come to rest at the intermediate portions of the slots I1; the shaft I5 is free to turn upon its bearings I9 in the rollers or pulleys I8 independently of the oscillating movement of the rollers or pulleys.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims:

What is claimed is: j

1. A game element agitator, comprising a transparent body portion adapted to enclose a game element, a support horizontally and pivotally connected to the body portion to admit rotation of the latter to roll the game element therein, a base, and a spring stem rotatably mounted between the support and the base for admitting rotation and oscillation of the support on the base for changing the direction of rolling of the game element in the body portion as the latter is rotated. 1

2. A game element agitator, comprising a transparent globe adapted to receive a game element therein and having opposed openings in its lateral portions, transverse shaft sections extending for 'the transparent globe and having heads thereon engaging the globe to support the same 'for rotation with the shaft sections, a fork, bearings mounted in the fork engaging the shaft sections to support the globe for rotation in the transparent globe adapted to receive'a game ele' ment therein, horizontal shaft sections secured through the globe, a fork, said fork having upturned ends with horizontal slots therein' curved upwardly at their opposite ends, pulleys fitted in said slots adapted to bear upon the lower edges of the slots, bearings between said pulleys and the shaft sections for rotatably mounting the shaft sections in the pulleys for turning independently` of the rolling of the pulleys in the slots, and a flexible and rotatable supporting means for said fork.

4. A game element agitator comprising a fork, transverse shaft sections extending through the fork, and a transparent globe mounted in the fork on said shaft sections and adapted to receive a game element therein," rollers mounted in said fork for movement transversely thereof and having axial bearings engaging said shaft sections to support the shaft in' said rollers and admit rotation of the shaft sections independently of the transverse movement of the rollers, and means for supporting the fo'rk.

5. A game element agitator comprising a fork, supporting means for said fork", a 'transparent globe disposed between the arms of said fork and adapted to receive a game element. shaft means engaging the globe and the arms of the fork to rotatably mount the globe on the fork, said shaft means having an extension' lat'- erally of at least one arm of said fork, a spinning knob on said shaft extension, rollersmounted in said fork for movement transversely thereof and having axial bearings engaging said shaft means to support the shaft means in said rollers and admit rotation of the shaft means independently of the transverse movement of the rollers.

6. A game device, comprising a hollow spherical body portion, the Walls of said body portion being transparent, a game element of generally spherical shape having a plurality of facets, said element'being located Within said body portion, and means for mounting said body portion for rotation to agitate said element, said game element adapted in its rest position to rest on 'a facet at the lowermost point Vof said body portion.

CHARLES F. KLEIN'. 

